Russian River Weekly Update 9/23/24

Russian River near Hopland in September 2022 by CJ Watt

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Reservoir Storage & Operations:

Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (find more water storage info here).

The image shows a table with reservoir storage data for Lake Mendocino, Lake Pillsbury, and Lake Sonoma, including current storage and changes.

A graph showing Lake Mendocino storage data over several years with projections up to September 2024.

A graph showing Lake Pillsbury storage data over years with target storage scenarios.

Graph showing Lake Sonoma Storage levels for various years compared to a storage curve.

Mendocino County rated one of California’s most at-risk counties for drought impacts

“During a public workshop on Sept. 5 of the group producing Mendocino County’s Drought Resilience Plan (DRP), two consultants tag-teamed to present a grim picture of the county’s ability to survive prolonged drought. The group was formed to satisfy 2021’s state Senate Bill 552, which requires all counties to plan and respond to drought and water emergencies. As Laura Garza, a University of California water and climate change advisor pointed out, the first part of creating a plan is understanding the lay of the land — or in this case, the state of the county’s groundwater.

“Garza and Andree Lee, from EKI Environment and Water, cities, tribes, water district representatives and others, are all members of a County Drought Task Force (CDTF) formed to address what is likely to become a worsening problem. The first two objectives of the task force, the results of which will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on September 25, were to gather data (how serious is the problem) and assess vulnerabilities (can communities deal with the problem). So far, the answers are disheartening.” Read the rest of the Mendocino Voice Article, September 19, 2024

Dry lakebed with rocks and a metal stairway at Lake Mendocino, California.

DWR Releases Second and Third Papers on Depletions of Interconnected Surface Water

To help Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) address the depletion of interconnected surface water (ISW) in their Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), the Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the second and third in a series of three draft papers that discuss the technical aspects of ISW and quantification of depletions of ISW caused by groundwater pumping. DWR previously released the first paper in the series in February 2024. Included with this release is a letter from Deputy Director Paul Gosselin highlighting a few key concepts related to the papers. Read more here.

California Natural Resources Agency Hosts Virtual Discussion on 10 Year Anniversary of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

California’s leaders made history in 2014 when they passed a landmark law to manage groundwater. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, aims to bring water supplies from underground aquifers into sustainable use over the next two decades. It’s a critical mission, since groundwater provides at least one-third of the California’s water supplies in a regular year, and up to two-thirds of water supply during drought. As SGMA turns ten years old this month, join us in conversation with local and state leaders driving its implementation. We’ll learn more about how SGMA has changed the way we manage water and if we’re positioned to meet the bold intent of this water reform. When: Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from noon to 1 p.m. How: Register to join here.

The Road to Sustainability: SGMA 10-Year Anniversary Event - November 18, 2024

Join the Department of Water Resources (DWR) on November 18th as we commemorate the 10-Year Anniversary of the historic passing of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Hear from local groundwater sustainability agencies, community organizations, state leaders, and others in the SGMA community as they reflect on the progress made over the first 10 years of SGMA, highlight challenges and lessons learned, and look ahead to the next 10 years of advancing sustainable groundwater management. This all-day event will be held in person at the California Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento and online via Zoom. When: November 18, 2024 8-5 PM More information here.

2024-2025 National Ecological Drought Webinar Series

Three logos: NOAA, NIDIS, and USGS, representing governmental science and environmental organizations.

This five-part webinar series seeks to raise awareness of ecological drought, share actions that strengthen ecosystem resilience and mitigate the impacts of droughts, and highlight advancements in integrating interdisciplinary research and management needs for future drought planning and preparedness. The series is co-hosted by NIDIS and the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC), with expert speakers from the research community, tribal nations, and government agencies. Information shared will build on the NIDIS/NCASC 2021 National Ecological Drought Webinar Series. A webinar recap and recording will be posted on drought.gov following the event.

Recharging California Webinar Series

As California experiences more frequent and intense drought and deluge cycles, we must focus on scaling strategies that allow us to thrive in wet and dry years alike. While there is no magic solution, groundwater recharge is a promising and cost-effective tool to navigate the effects of a warming climate on California’s water supply. Over the past decade, groundwater recharge has evolved from an experimental practice to a mainstream one; however, there is more we can do to incentivize and scale recharge to secure a resilient water future. Join Sustainable Conservation on Wednesday, October 2 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM for the second webinar in our Recharging California series, Scaling Solutions for Water Resilience. We’ll sit down with water experts working at the government level and on the ground as we highlight the work being done to promote recharge across the state. Learn more and register.
Missed the first webinar in our Fall 2024 series? Catch our conversation with climatologist Dr. Daniel Swain on our YouTube!

Looking forward to the return of the Water Talk podcast?

Join water experts Drs. Mallika Nocco, Faith Kearns, and Sam Sandoval for Season 5 which will broaden the scope to national water issues. Check out seasons 1-4 which primarily focus on California and offer a wealth of knowledge. more information on Water Talk

WATCH THIS SPACE for updates on Proposition 4, a $10 billion climate bond coming soon to a ballot near you!

This fall, voters will decide whether California should authorize a $10 billion bond to help the state respond to climate change by funding a variety of environmental initiatives, including water projects, wildfire risk reduction, coastal resilience, sustainable agriculture, and parks.